060123_SALON & SPA_ DIGITAL EDITION
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Now in its 24th year, the designation<br />
is awarded to districts that<br />
demonstrate outstanding achievement<br />
in efforts to provide music<br />
access and education to all students.<br />
To qualify, OCPS officials<br />
answered detailed questions<br />
about funding, graduation requirements,<br />
music class participation,<br />
instruction time, facilities, support<br />
for the music program, and community<br />
music-making programs.<br />
Responses were verified by school<br />
officials and reviewed by The<br />
Music Research Institute at the<br />
University of Kansas.<br />
Officials of the National Merit<br />
Scholarship Corp. announced<br />
this year’s National Merit $2,500<br />
Scholarship winners. They were chosen<br />
from a talent pool of more than<br />
15,000 finalists in the 2023 National<br />
Merit Scholarship Program. The winners<br />
are the finalists in each state<br />
judged to have the strongest combination<br />
of accomplishments, skills<br />
and potential for success in rigorous<br />
college studies. These scholars were<br />
selected by a committee of college<br />
admissions officers and high school<br />
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x June 1 — 14, 2023 x 7<br />
counselors, who appraised a substantial<br />
amount of information submitted<br />
by both the finalists and their high<br />
schools: the academic record, including<br />
difficulty level of subjects studied<br />
and grades earned; scores from<br />
the Preliminary SAT/National Merit<br />
Scholarship Qualifying Test; contributions<br />
and leadership in school<br />
and community activities; an essay<br />
written by the finalist; and a recommendation<br />
written by a high school<br />
official. Southwest-area students who<br />
received a scholarship include Yash<br />
Agrawal and Daniel Liu of Lake<br />
Highland Preparatory School;<br />
Madison Modlin of Olympia<br />
High; and Jay Khemchandani,<br />
Fanghai Yu and Fangwen Yu<br />
of Windermere Preparatory<br />
School.<br />
Steve Whitaker recently celebrated<br />
20 years as the head of<br />
school at The First Academy. The<br />
TFA family surprised Mr. Whitaker<br />
with a schoolwide day of celebration.<br />
Every student across each division of<br />
The First Academy (lower, middle,<br />
upper, The Classical School and The<br />
First Hope) wrote a personalized note<br />
of congratulations. Mr. Whitaker<br />
walked into a fully decorated office<br />
with all the notes proudly displayed.<br />
Each student also took home a delicious,<br />
celebratory treat. Mr. Whitaker<br />
was surprised with a luncheon with<br />
past school board members, TFA<br />
alumni, the Rev. Jim Henry, the Rev.<br />
David Uth, special friends and the<br />
Whitaker family. For more details of<br />
his accomplishments during the past<br />
two decades, visit thefirstacademy.<br />
org/blog/dr-steve-d-whitaker-celebrating-20-years-of-excellence-at-thefirst-academy.<br />
Although we try to ensure that all information<br />
presented above is the most current, correct and<br />
dependable available, we do rely on others for<br />
the source of our news. Therefore, the Southwest<br />
Orlando Bulletin and Cornerstone Publishing &<br />
Multi-Media LLC cannot be held responsible for<br />
the validity of the information presented here, nor<br />
does mentioning it constitute an endorsement.<br />
School News is welcome and may be mailed to<br />
P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786; or emailed<br />
to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com. ª<br />
The Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips, represented by (l. to r.) Terry Taggart, Dave<br />
Lehman, Jj Lullen and David Holmes, donates toys to Orange County schools,<br />
represented by (l. to r.) Pam Gould, Kristi Weiss and Alba Lorenzo.
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